what I miss is the frosting

So, it's been a year since we moved from Ctown. We were there for the onset of parenthood and I felt quite well established on the playgroup circuit. Thought the hardest thing would be leaving all my Mommy-friends - the women who helped keep me sane from month 2 with the first one through to year two with the second. Over the years, we shared as much (or more) with each other as with our families - laughter, tears, and SO much frustration!! We shared snacks at the water parks, drinks as often as we could 'steal' a Thursday night, DH stories and every kind of venting known to womankind. The years saw us change and grow as women and mothers. We either guided each other through phases or experienced them as a group. We were going to be the SAHMs who got fit once the kids reached 18 months (3 yrs, kindergarten, etc...). We had dreams, maybe even tentative plans, for the ultimate childcare cooperative. We were Moms sewing together while the kids played outside that (almost) got a business started. We celebrated milestones small and large, childhood and adult, and so many birthdays in so many ways, though always with cake - buttercream, not that whipped stuff - hopefully from Publix. Ah, memories!!

The new neighborhood is full of spec homes that have stood unoccupied the whole year thanks to the US mortgage situation. We've been on our own. I've grown to like it. I compost now - who knew!! And the kids have grown and changed. M is in school; comes home knowing things I haven't taught her - still mostly good. G attends preschool 2 days a week and has friends there, but no one whose Mommy appears to be in the market for a friend. (side note: I'm still the only SAHM I know in Aville) We have friends and the kids have their friends. They're just not all intertwined the way they were. Now that she's a big girl, I drop M off for birthday parties and G, sadly, doesn't really get invited (she's only at "school" 2x a week, while many of them are there all week). It occurred to me tonight that I've already changed enough as well that none of this is disturbing to me. What was on my mind tonight was that I rarely get a good, goopy, flower-topped piece of ("oh, no - that piece is way too big for me.... Oh, alriiiight!") birthday cake anymore!!

I like the new place. In time, I know I'll have more warm, deep friendships to treasure, but MAN, Ctown ladies - you knew how to buy some cake!! I miss you!